OMAHA, Neb. – After starting the 2014 season unranked in the preseason poll for only the third time since 1998, the Creighton men's soccer team soared into the rankings at No. 8 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll released Tuesday afternoon.

Following home shutout victories over No. 20 Stanford and Santa Clara last weekend, the Bluejays improved to 2-0-0 to begin the year. It marks the 19th consecutive season that Creighton stands unbeaten after two contests.

Creighton received 14 votes in the NSCAA preseason poll released Aug 6. The Jays were the sixth team listed in schools also receiving votes to rank No. 31 overall.

The Bluejays are one of nine new teams entering the Top 25 this week. CU made the biggest jump in the poll, rising 23 spots after one week of action. Creighton ranks one spot ahead of the other BIG EAST team in the Top 25, No. 9 Georgetown. Conference foe Marquette dropped out of the rankings but received votes. UCLA claimed the No. 1 ranking this week.

The Jays jumped a dozen spots to No. 12 in the latest SoccerAmerica Men's Top 25 released Tuesday. Creighton entered the TopDrawerSoccer Top 25 at No. 17 this week after receiving consideration in the preseason poll. The Bluejays are perched at No. 20 in the CollegeSoccerNews Top 30 after receiving votes in the preseason rankings.

Creighton topped the NSCAA Great Lakes Region poll. Georgetown came in second, 2014 opponent UIC was third; preseason foe Milwaukee rated fourth followed by BIG EAST squads Butler and Providence in fifth and sixth, respectively.

After earning BIG EAST Player of the Week honors on Monday, Ricky Lopez-Espin and Connor Sparrow made appearances on a pair of National Team of the Week squads. Lopez-Espin claimed a spot on the TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week while Sparrow garnered recognition on the CollegeSoccerNews National Team of the Week.

The Jays return to the pitch on Friday night when they host Western Illinois at 7:30 p.m. CT inside Morrison Stadium. The match will be played in conjunction with the annual Socctoberfest held on the stadium grounds, following the women’s soccer match against New Mexico State beginning at 5 p.m.